5 minutes from my house are the Dinorwig slate quarries - a lifetimes worth of sheltered, quick drying routes - so what better place to go on a sunny friday in feb? It felt almost spring like this morning so I teamed up with a friend choo and made the massive 10 minute walk in to the Never Never Land slab. I got on a route called Short Stories E4 6a - one of those 'bolted' slate routes - the first bolt is a good way off the deck and there is some good air time potential higher up. Its definately not a sport route! It climbs nicely, being sustatined but never desperate and with big enough run outs to ensure you stay focused! Choo then got on its neighbouring route - Kublai Khan E4 6b/6a which definately feels easier. It has a hard crux right above a new bolt then steady climbing to reach a spot where you can lasso a metal spike to protect the last moves! Real cowboy action! A good entry to the E4 grade.
We then wandered down to the Mau Mau, a route which I have been wanting to get on for years. It goes at E4 6a and has a reputation for being strenuous and pumpy. It does however have excellent gear and it seems that all the training at the Beacon climbing wall is paying off as I climbed it without too much effort. A great route!
We then had a play on True Clip, a desperate 7b+ sport route with some funky moves. Choo had a go on lead and fell making the last hard moves! One to come back for.
